1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with hinges for glass doors. More particularly, it is concerned with a hinge having improved stability and isolation of the glass from the hinge element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hinges of various types for permitting doors to swing about an axis are well known. One particular application for such hinges is on glass doors of the types used for bath and shower stalls and the like. Such applications place particular demands on the hinge due to the weight of the door and the generally brittle character of glass. Moreover, the use of glass necessitates the provision of an attractive hinge, and must be moisture resistant in light of the often moist and humid environment in which it may often be required to operate.
On particular hinge device which has been developed for use on a glass door or panel is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,869. This type of hinge uses pressure on a main pivot roller by a sub pin roller in order to return the swinging door to a desired orientation. However, the hinge shown in this design is subject to fatigue from repeated cycling of use, whereby the hinge may loosen. Moreover, while gaskets are designed to be positioned between the glass and the metal in order to avoid damage to the glass, the glass may nevertheless contact the metal hinge components after repeated use or during installation.
Thus, a need for an improved glass door hinge which overcomes these and other problems has developed.
The present invention addresses these problems by improving the ability of the hinge to maintain correct alignment over a large number of cycles of use, and by facilitating the task of the installer in regard to isolating the glass door from the metal components of the hinge. The glass door hinge hereof particularly addresses these needs while providing an attractive appearance by the use of locking screws to hold set screws which engage complementally shaped countersunk indentations in the spindle to resist slippage of the spindle relative to the hinge block in which it is received, by providing a lipped gasket to maintain isolation of the glass from the metal clamp for the door or panel, by providing a groove in the spindle for receiving and retaining lubricant over a large number of cycles.
Broadly speaking, the glass door hinge hereof includes a pair of opposed clamps which receive therebetween a glass door. A pair of specially configured lipped gaskets of flexible elastomeric material are placed between the glass door and the clamps to isolate the glass door from the clamps. The clamps also receive therebetween a spindle which is maintained stationary relative to the clamps by a first pair of set screws which are in turn locked into place by a pair of backing screws. The clamps and the spindle thus pivot with the door relative to a hinge block. The hinge block is coupled by fasteners to a hinge mount to maintain a fixed relationship thereto, whereby the spindle pivots relative to the block and defines the door pivot axis. The hinge block includes at least one centering member biased by a spring against a face of the spindle. The spring is held between the mount and the centering member in order to exert a force against the spindle face which serves to urge the door to a desired initial orientation relative to the mount. The mount may be a wall mount or, alternative, a second set of glass clamps and lipped gaskets to couple the glass door hinge to a panel, such as a glass panel.
The glass door hinge hereof greatly facilitates installation of the door to a wall or adjacent panel. The lipped gaskets may be positioned on the clamps to prevent contact between the metal clamps including around the boss during assembly and adjustment of the positioning of the door during installation. Once installed, the locking screws and the set screws are completely concealed from view, the set screws engaging the spindle at countersunk indentations, but together inhibit movement of the spindle relative to the clamps notwithstanding repeated cycles of usage.